Lock and Key
by writingmom
Summary: Set after Paraguay. Mac and Harm take the long road back to each other. COMPLETE!
1. Locked Up

"Oh, this is just _great_." Harm yelled as he kicked the wall. "Now we're stuck for God knows how long!" He paced back and forth in the small room as his partner Sarah Mackenzie sat on the cot trying not to complicate things. He was edgy before coming to the base to question the Marine squadron, and now that they were "inadvertently" locked in a damp room in the basement, his temper was flaring.

Harm had been back at JAG only a couple of months before being assigned to a case with Mac again. After the mess in Paraguay, his leaving and coming back…they had remained distant and although neither of them liked it, they began building the wall that had taken them so many years to break down. It seemed easier to shut each other out than it did to reach out anymore. He had wanted her in Paraguay. He thought that his actions would have made that clear. She'd wanted him, too, but she needed to hear him say it. Once again their stubbornness kept them from the one thing that they wanted most—each other.

Mac had a bad feeling about his ranting. She had only seen him like this a couple of other times in the last nine years, and her instinct was telling her that he was getting ready to blow. In the past he might have blamed her for a mishap like this, but he would have calmed down and apologized, and then together they would have come up with a plan. Not this time. He had a look in his eyes that scared her, and she knew that she was his target.

Her instinct proved right. After pacing another few laps, he turned to her and began his tirade. "Damnit, Mac! I mean, how the hell did you think this was going to turn out? I told you that coming down here would be a mistake! Lieutenant Griggs was only too happy to lead the way. I could tell the minute we met him that the bastard was up to no good, but you? Oh _no_. You have to trust anybody in a Marine uniform with a nice smile. Male, especially. What the hell were you thinking? Really, Mac! I'm starting to think that you _enjoy_ getting yourself in to these situations so that you can wait for someone _else _to come to your rescue! But who's it gonna be this time, Mac, huh? Does Webb have his tracking device on you or did he take it off for the day? Is he even in the country?" He knew that he was being completely unreasonable, but he was a freight train that couldn't stop. He was hurt and angry from Paraguay, and it was coming out now.

His words stung. He could hurt her like no one ever had. He was out of line but she knew that he needed this; to clear the air and to let her know just how disappointed he had been. He had assumed the worst after Paraguay, and did his usual flee the scene routine. Instead of staying and fighting, which is what she wanted him to do.

It was easier for her to slip back in to the role of a scared child. Just like her dad used to rant and rave when she was younger. She sat and tried to remember that she had done nothing wrong; tried to remember that this was not just about her. Mac was as tough of a Marine as Harm had ever faced, but now she was broken up inside and he was the one delivering the blows. Between his words and the back pain that she had been ignoring, she wanted to scream. Instead, she just bit her lip and fought back the tears that were now welling up in her eyes.

"Sir? Maam?" They heard a voice calling from the hallway.

"In here!" Harm screamed. "Open the damn door and that's an order!"

The Lieutenant opened the door hurredly as Mac stood to follow Harm out of the room, wiping one last stray tear.

"Sir, I'm sorry. How did you…I didn't know that you…" he stammered.

"Never mind. Just tell your friend Lt. Griggs that he can expect a visit from us in the morning." Harm was filled with rage.

Mac could feel the pain pounding in her lower back as they walked up the stairs and to the car. If she could just make it back to the hotel and in to the tub. A hot bath always seemed to help. But not here, not now. She couldn't deal with Harm reminding her again what a complication she was in his life. She just wanted to get through the investigation. She told herself that she would call the doctor as soon as they got back. 

That's the last thing that she remembered. Harm had been walking so quickly in front of her to get to the car that he hadn't noticed her collapse. 

"Sir!" The Lieutenant yelled. "I think we need an ambulance!"

TBC


	2. Don't

Mac awakened to the sound of voices talking above her. She was being loaded on to a stretcher and in to the ambulance. Soon it all registered in her mind. The back pain. The yelling. Harm…

He was there, beside her. He had a look of concern on his face, but she couldn't forget the look of anger that had been there only minutes before. He held his hat in his hand and looked at her as they loaded her in. "Mac, I'll follow you to the hospital. You're going to be o.k." he had said. Were it any other time, she would have been happy to hear those words. Not now. She knew that he was still angry with her and she didn't want his sympathy. She felt numb and completely alone.

After hours of blood being drawn and tests being run, the doctors informed Mac that they wanted to keep her overnight. She was surprised when the last nurse left to see Harm walking hesitantly in to her room. She said nothing.

He pulled a chair up beside her bed. "Hey. How are you feeling?" 

She looked away. Why was it that expressing his feelings never seemed to be a problem when he was mad? She was tired of it all. Tired of the pain, both physical and emotional. He had assumed so much about her that it seemed too overwhelming a task to set him straight.

"Listen, about before…" he began.

This time, she found her voice. "Harm, _don't_. Just….don't." She turned her back to him and lay facing the opposite wall. She was chewing on her thumbnail in a feeble attempt to distract herself from the tears that were begging to fall.

He stood and paused for a moment before saying, "I uh, I guess I'll see you in the morning, then." He got no response. "Bye." And with that, he walked in to the hallway and closed the door, but not before he heard her let out a cry that broke his heart in to a million pieces. He leaned against the wall and listened to the woman that he loved sob uncontrollably.

"Great, Rabb. Way to go." He said to himself as he left the hospital.

Heading back to the hotel for the night, he went over the day's events in his mind. Now that he thought about it, she had been more quiet than normal, and occasionally seemed to be moving a little bit slower, although at the time he wasn't sure why. He learned early on of her high tolerance for pain. The sniper event years prior had been his first lesson on the toughness of Sarah Mackenzie. It must not have been easy for her, to hide the pain today. She had literally held it in until she couldn't stand any longer. "And then I go off with my big mouth and make it even worse." He scolded himself. "Well, maybe it's not too late to do one thing right today." He picked up his cell phone and dialed an almost forgotten number.

"Webb." The voice on the other line sleepily answered.

"Webb, it's Rabb. Listen, Mac and I are in Norfolk and I just thought you'd like to know that—"

"Clay, who is it?" Harm heard a female voice in the background. The bastard.

He paused. "Rabb, what is it? Why the hell are you calling me at this hour?" 

"No reason, Clayton. No reason at all." Harm hung up his phone in disgust. He wouldn't tell Mac. He couldn't. She'd been through enough for right now.

Sleep did not come easily for him that night. He was eager to get to the hospital to see how Mac was doing. He wanted to apologize for his cruel words the day before. He hoped that maybe now she would be willing to listen.

When he got to her room, he was surprised at what he saw. Mac was fully dressed and fixing the clasp on her watch as she finished a conversation with the doctor. 

"And remember, take it easy until then." The doctor had said before leaving.

Mac turned to see Harm standing in the doorway. 

"Good, you're here. Let's get going." 

She walked past him and headed straight for the elevator doors. Confused, he walked up behind her. "Mac, are you sure you should be going? I mean, what did the doctor say?" 

She shot him a glance that said it all. That was too personal a question for him to ask. He didn't have the right. They were partners on a case, nothing more. He knew immediately that saying anything else at this point would prove futile. She walked to the car with one hand on her back not saying a word. Once she fastened her seat belt, it was all business. "So, are we ready to question Lt. Griggs?"


	3. The Distance Grows

The next week seemed to drag slowly by for not only Harm and Mac, but everyone else in the office as well. They maintained a professional façade, but the air was thick with tension and everyone—even the General, knew that something was wrong.

Thankfully both had enough work to keep them busy in their offices. They only crossed paths occasionally and limited their conversations to the Griggs case. When Harm saw Mac leaving the General's office late Friday, he could have sworn that she was ready to cry. In the past he would have acted on his concern. Now, he just watched and wondered from a distance.

The weekend had seemed even longer. Both were in pain, one more than the other. Harm filled his weekend with running and guitar playing. Still, he could not get Mac off of his mind. Things had gone so wrong for them—even after Paraguay, and that was a surprise to everyone that knew them. How these two could be so stubborn, so blind, was a mystery to everyone at JAG.

Monday morning staff call came and there was no Mac. Harm kept watching the door and glancing at his watch when finally the General announced that she would be out of the office that day and perhaps the next. That was all he said, and he clearly did not want questions. He handed out the week's assignments in his usual professional manner, and the meeting was over, just as quickly as it had started.

Concern was growing in Harm's mind. He knew that for Mac to miss a day of work, something had to be wrong. He felt sure that it was related to her back pain somehow, but he quickly reminded himself that he had no right to ask. Their relationship was hanging by a thread, if that. For him to show up at her apartment or even to call would have been too great of a risk. Sitting at his desk and tapping his pencil repetitively, he looked out in to the bullpen to see his answer waiting for him—Bud.

"Bud, can you come in to my office for a minute?" He had picked up the phone so that no one could misconstrue what he was about to say. It felt like everyone's eyes were on Harm for some reason and it wasn't a good thing. If he didn't know any better, he's say that he had the word "JERK" pinned to his back everyday when he went to work.

"Yes Sir?" Bud stood in his office.

"Um, come in, please, and close the hatch." Harm sat back down and took a moment to collect his thoughts as Bud found his seat.

While Bud Roberts may have appeared clueless much of the time, he was no stranger to the dynamic between his two best friends. It had pained him to watch their relationship deteriorate the way that it had. He knew what the Commander was about to ask, and for once he was going to make him earn the response.

"Bud, I'm concerned about Mac. Given the events of the last couple of—" He was fumbling. Bud sat in front of him without interjecting as Harm had hoped that he would.

He tried to continue. "Look, it's no secret that we're in a bad place right now. But that doesn't mean that I'm not concerned. I was wondering if, I don't know. If you could tell me if she's all right." 

Bud hated this. He hated being in this position. Torn between wanting to smack the Commander and the Colonel, he often wished that Harriet were still here to speak his mind for him, as she was so good at doing in the past.

"Sir, I'm not sure that I'm at liberty to discuss the Colonel's personal situation with you."

Harm rolled his eyes. "Bud, come on! We've been in the office together for nine years! You know me." He paused. "As a friend, Bud. Please." 

Bud thought for a moment before looking down.

"No sir. She's not." Harm looked confused. "She's not o.k., but she will be. In time. That's all I'm going to say."

Had things really gotten so bad that even Bud, a dear friend, felt apprehensive around the Commander? Harm's heart sank. It was clear that the relationship between he and Mac was affecting more than just the two of them. 

"Thanks, I guess." Was all that he could say. Bud had given him a lot to think about without even knowing it. As Bud stood to leave, he turned and looked at Harm.

"Sir, for whatever it's worth, you both have Harriet's and my full support. That hasn't changed." 

Harm tried to smile at the sentiment, but it felt forced. The smile, and Bud's comment. Harm must have picked up the phone twenty times throughout the day before setting it back in its cradle. After work the suspicion and concern had become too overwhelming. He needed to know that she was o.k. His car seemed to drive itself to Georgetown. He was thankful to see her car in the parking lot. Climbing the steps to her apartment, he hesitated before knocking. After finally getting the nerve, he tapped gently on the door. No answer. He knocked again, this time a little louder. Still no answer. If she was home, she didn't want company. Or so he told himself. This was yet another completely inaccurate assumption. For inside her apartment, Mac was sound asleep, exhausted from her day and the hospital, the painful procedure, and the bad news she'd been given.


	4. Generally Speaking

Harm was relieved to step off of the elevators on Tuesday and to see the light on in Mac's office. Whatever it was that had caused her to absent the day before had surely been too serious. Although he was still concerned, it was good to see that she was back at work. Feeling slightly more brave than the days before, he tapped on the door frame and said, "Hi. You're back." 

She looked up from her paperwork and gave a half-hearted smile. "Yes, I am." She clearly wasn't going to give him any details, but he was going to try anyway. It certainly wouldn't be the first time he placed his head on the chopping block. 

"Is everything o.k.?" he dared.

She hadn't expected that. She looked down for a moment. "No, damnit, everything is _not _o.k.!" She had wanted to scream. It was so hard to keep her emotions in check lately and she hated that. The slightest thing could set her off and she knew that Harmon Rabb was one of them. She told herself to maintain control the best she could in the office and then, at the end of the day, she could drown her sorrows in a hot bath.

"I suppose." It was all that she could think of to say.

Luckily for both of them Jennifer Coates stuck her head in the door. "Sir, Maam, the General would like to see you in his office a.s.a.p." 

Harm and Mac gave each other a look of question and then filed in to his office. "Good. You're both here." He spoke. "Have a seat."

Their experience with the General had been limited so far. Mac tried to maintain a professional stance and allowed little time for joking or small talk. Harm, too, knew that he had something to prove after the Admiral had left. Both were curious as to why the General needed to see them now.

"Commander, Colonel, I'm going to cut right to the chase. The atmosphere in this office is toxic. It's unacceptable, frankly, and I think that a large part of this is due to the obvious tension between the two of you. It's spilling over on to the rest of us and I have reached my limit. Now, while I am not one to get involved in personal issues, I am well aware of the dedication with which the both of you serve. Your records, while neither spotless, are reflective of your desire to serve your country to the best of your abilities. For whatever reason, that's not happening. From what I understand, you two were partners at one time and damn good ones at that."

He paused for a moment before taking out two pamphlets from his desk drawer and handing one to each of the confused officers. "This is the solution that I'm offering. One week, in Vermont. You'll either come back unified or you'll remain divided. The choice is up to you, but I can assure you that changes will be made if not by you, then by me."

Harm and Mac looked at their pamphlets which read, "Project Teamwork: Creating Unified Workers in a Divided World." Harm wanted to laugh. Instead, he raised his eyebrow. For once he and Mac were on the same page.

"Sir," she began. "Whatever differences the Commander and I may be having, in my opinion, do not require a week long seminar on building trust and teamwork. In fact—"

The General cut her off. "Colonel, if I were you, I wouldn't argue. You're going. What you choose to do with it is up to you. You'll have the rest of the week to finish up case work, and I assume, Colonel, that your doctor will approve travel by this time?" 

She was seething at the comment. How dare he refer to her medical condition in front of Harm! "Yes sir." She gritted her teeth.

"Good. That will be all, then. Dismissed." He barked.

Mac walked briskly to her office and shut the door forcefully. She placed her head in her hands and fought the tears with everything that she had. A week with Harm was not what she needed right now. A week alone. That would be more like it. Away from him, away from work…away from it all. She had three more days to prepare.

Mac's reaction was not lost on Harm. He knew that she would be angry at their new little "assignment", and while he wasn't thrilled himself, he was looking forward to getting away and hopefully reconnecting with her on some level. The General was right. Something had to change.


	5. Let the Games Begin

A/N: I know nothing about Vermont other than the capitol is Montpelier. Forgive me now for any inaccuracies.

The plane ride had been rather uneventful although Mac was thankful for enough other people around to provide a distraction. Now that they had gotten their rental car, it was just the two of them-- a dejected Sailor and a wounded Marine. She was dreading this week. She hated being talked in to something that she didn't think was necessary. Her anger at Harm had grown after his outburst and she was offended that the General couldn't see her restraint. If the truth were to be told, she was mad at everyone right now. Her friends, her co-workers, the doctor… This would be an interesting week. She would try to get through it the best that she could, although at the moment, Harm's cologne was proving to be a distraction. He looked good in his civilian clothes although she was still so mad at him that she tried not to care. Thankfully this was not a military sponsored event, so they were not required to wear their uniforms. Mac always looked forward to wearing casual clothes. Dressed in jeans and a black sweater set, she looked more refreshed than she had all week. Her color was coming back and Harm noticed that she didn't look so frail.

Once he placed her luggage in the trunk, he knew that something had to be done to lighten the mood. "So, are you going to ride in the front seat or do you prefer the back?" he smiled.

She would have loved to wipe that smug smile right off of his face. "Last I checked this wasn't a cab. I think I'll be fine in the front unless you want to play Driving Miss Daisy."

She was back in full force, but still not smiling. At least they were talking.

"You know, Mac, it's going to be a long week if we can't at least have a conversation." He began.

She continued to stare out the window with no reply.

"What I'm saying is, that at some point or another, we're going to have to talk. Or at least try."

She kept staring out of the window. "I know." It was all that she could say.

They checked in to the hotel and found that their rooms were right next to each other. Mac was not making this easy for Harm at all. She placed the key in her door and began to enter when Harm stopped her. "Mac?" His eyes were pleading with her. She had avoided eye contact with him for days. She hadn't realized that until just now, looking up at him.

"Mac, I know that you hate me right now, and you have every reason to. But I'm trying to make this work, here. What about dinner? Can we do that much?" 

"Harm, I'm tired. Maybe later." With that, she went in to her room and closed the door. Harm let out a sigh and went in to his room. They each lay on their beds looking up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long week indeed.

After flipping channels for the hundreth time, Harm was surprised to hear a knock on his door. Jumping up and looking out the peephole, he was even more surprised to see Mac standing there. He quickly unlocked the door.

"About dinner…"

He smiled. They walked in silence down the hall and in to the elevator. It was a start, at least. A very small start.

Dinner was quiet. Harm knew better than to push this Marine, especially after she had made a small step. He tried to keep the conversation light. They were seated near the window so that they could enjoy the view of the rolling countryside. The leaves had already begun to turn colors and the view was breathtaking. She answered his questions but offered no more. She hadn't wanted to eat alone, and Harm was her only choice. Her facial expression showed that she hadn't softened, but Harm was patient.

Walking out in to the lobby, they noticed the desk with information about the conference. "Guess we better sign in." He stated.

After they were given their itinerary and name tags, they saw that the opening session would begin in twenty minutes. "Do you want to take a walk?" He offered. 

"Sure." Was her flat reply. At least she wasn't avoiding him all together.

"It's beautiful here." He stated.

"Mmm-hmm."

"That's a nice palm tree over there." He was testing her.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "I've been listening."

"Just making sure. Looks like they have people trails all around. Maybe in the morning we could go for a run."

That was too much. She stopped and looked up at him. "Harm, you need to understand that I don't want to be here, o.k.? If it weren't for the General, I wouldn't be here and neither would you. Let's not pretend that everything is rosy, because we both know that it isn't." She began walking back to the lobby. Again he bit his tongue and followed her in to find a seat.

The conference began with a brief overview of the week. Wednesday would be a free day, with sessions beginning on Saturday. They were seated at round tables for eight. "Let's begin with introductions." The speaker began.

Harm and Mac were immediately aware that the week was not only going to be long, but possibly painful as well. After Leo and Annette introduced themselves, there was Dave and Terry. All four were from the same computer programming company and had the personalities of dry wood. Then there was Alex and Tom, engineers from a large corporation. It was beginning to be clear why these people were here. If their social skills were any indication of their work ethics, they needed this conference like a plant needs air.

"I'm Harmon Rabb, Commander in the United States Navy, JAG Corps. This is my partner, Colonel Sarah Mackenzie." She was actually glad that he'd introduced her. She was in no mood to be chatty.

"Oh, military, huh?" Dave snorted. "I thought you would have gotten training like this already!"

"Yeah, well, this wasn't our idea." Harm replied.

"Yeah, ours either!" Terry chortled. "We're losing valuable time on our space simulator. Thank goodness we have our lap tops!" They both laughed.

Mac raised an eyebrow and looked at Harm. Even in all of the anger and hurt, they could still read each other's minds in situations like this, and both were saying "You've got to be kidding me."

After the session ended, Harm and Mac headed up to their room. "The General must really be mad at us." Harm stated.

"That's an understatement." Mac actually replied. "Thank goodness there's not assigned seating, although I think Terry is quite interested in your Navy career." She smirked. 

"Don't get any ideas, Marine. Just because you can't stand me doesn't mean that you should punish me anymore by making me sit by some—"

He could tell that he had just struck a nerve. Damn! Why was he so good at saying the wrong thing at the right time? She looked down, and then back at her door. 

"Well, goodnight." She said, and retreated in to her room.

Harm smacked himself on the forehead. Just when it seemed that she was relaxing a little. Something about her "punishing" him didn't sit well with her apparently, although it seemed strange to Harm, since she seemed to be so mad at him lately.

Once again they both found themselves on their beds, staring up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long week indeed.


	6. Round One

It was Saturday morning and the fireworks were about to explode. Harm and Mac walked in to the seminar unaware that they were about to be pushed to their emotional limits. It appeared harmless at first, splitting off in to groups of six with a facilitator for each group. But once the questions came, Mac grew increasingly uneasy.

"We're going to begin today, by hearing from each of you what weaknesses you see in your partner. Things might be negative and tense at first, but if we keep our comments constructive, then we will be able to move on to phase two: affirmation." 

Mac rolled her eyes and Harm did the same. They both resented the psychological babble that this seemed to be. Jan, the facilitator was a little too calm for Mac's liking. She was as big as a noodle and Mac couldn't help wondering what it would feel like to drop kick her right here. 

To make matters worse, Dave and Terry were in the group along with two other males. Besides Jan, Mac was the only female, which she knew was going to spell trouble. She and Harm were not a team as they had been in the past, so expecting any back up from him would likely be pointless.

Both Mac and Harm zoned out for Dave and Terry's assessment of one another as well as the other two men, who frankly, Harm had no clue about, not even their names. And then, the question came. "Sarah, please tell us in five minutes or less how your partner could better your working relationship." 

Mac looked around at the goofy grins on everyone's faces. They were all staring at her, waiting for her to speak. She couldn't even look at Harm. They waited, and they waited. And then she began. "Um, _Jan_." she began. Oh no. Harm could recognize that tone of voice anywhere and he knew that if he wasn't about to get it, that Jan was.

"Any issues between my partner and I go farther back and deeper down than any seminar could possibly repair. While I appreciate your enthusiasm for your craft, we need to clarify that we are not here by our own will. This was an order, and we followed it." Mac had been cool and collected, but it wouldn't last for long.

"I see that we have some negative energy coming from you, Colonel. Perhaps once the Commander shares, you will be more willing to do so as well." She smiled cluelessly.

Harm was now certain that being on the front line in a combat situation would prove less stressful than the scenario that was being played out for him now. If Mac and he didn't fight, he would be relieved, although he was sure that Mac was ready to show Jan the finer points of Marine defense tactics.

"Commander?" Jan looked his way, completely oblivious to the growing frustration from Mac's direction.

"Ahhh…" Harm was at a loss. If he cooperated with Jan, Mac would be mad. If he cooperated with Mac, there was no telling what Jan would say next.

"Well, it's like the Colonel said, Jan. Our relationship has weathered many storms over the last nine years, and we've always come through with flying colors. There's no doubt in my mind that this will be no different." 

"Ha!" Mac scoffed.

Harm looked at her, confused. He had tried to get Jan off of their backs, but in doing so had ticked Mac off even more.

"Flying colors, eh?" She retorted. "Thank you, Commander, for sharing with Jan and the rest of the group what an _immense_ ego you have!"

Harm was stunned. He raised his eyebrows as if to question where that comment came from, but before he knew it, the argument had begun.

"Ego? You're bringing my ego in to this? Mac, that was a low blow. How in the world can you say that my ego has anything to do with this?"

"Because as _usual _you assume that you know the outcome of the situation with me when, truth be told, you're as clueless as they come!"

"Oh, clueless, am I?" Jan was now smiling as if she was watching a prize fight. "Well I would say that clueless is what _you _are when it comes to relationships!" he fired back. Now this was personal.

"_Relationships_? Ha! As if you're suddenly the authority on commitment?" 

"Oh, excuse, me, I'm sure that Clay is committed to you just like you seem to want him to be? Well, I've got news for you, Mac, he's been unfaithful!" the words came out without thought, as was becoming the norm.

Mac sat there, completely taken aback. And then, she smiled. It was a sarcastic, smirk of a smile, but a smile nonetheless. Jan opened her mouth to speak, but Mac cut her off. 

"Clayton Webb?" Mac asked. "Unfaithful?" Mac was now repeating Harm's words which meant trouble for him.

"Yes, Mac. You heard me. He's cheating on you!" Harm was inwardly glad that he was winning this round until the knock out came moments later.

Mac stood, leaned down right in Harm's face and said, "That's funny, Harm, that a man could be cheating on a girlfriend that he doesn't even have." And with that, she was gone.

Harm sat in a stunned silence while Jan smiled a nervous smile and concluded, "Well, now _that_ was helpful. I can't wait for part two."


	7. I'm Here

She was sitting on a bench in the courtyard when he found her. This time she didn't try to hide the tears when he approached. She was tired of it all. She felt completely broken and knew that something, anything had to be done.

"Mind if I sit down?" Harm asked, calmly.

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Mac, I know that this whole…seminar thing is not what you wanted right now. I'm sorry that you have to be here." He paused and she wiped another tear away before he continued. "But I'm not sorry that you and I have been given the opportunity to talk." She remained silent, which to him was enough of a sign to continue. "If you're not ready today, or tomorrow, or Monday, that's fine, but I have to believe that something good can come out of this. I hate it when you're mad at me. I hate it when we can't get along. And I want that to change. I truly do."

She was surprised at how mature Harm seemed right now. After she hit him with the ego comment, one that she knew was like going for the jugular, she was amazed that they were speaking at all.

"How did we get so far off track this time?" She quietly asked.

"I don't know, Mac. I guess after Paraguay, things spiraled out of control." 

The tears came in full force once again. The memory of Paraguay was more painful to her than he could possible imagine. She had regretted her words that day the instant that she said them. "Never" was a word that she should have known not to utter.

"Mac, you've been my partner and my best friend for years now. Honestly, I have no idea where we begin rebuilding our friendship, or if you even want to. But I know that we can't keep tearing each other down. I don't want to insult you anymore and I certainly don't like being on the receiving end of yours." 

There were several minutes of silence before she finally replied. The pain had consumed her for so long that she didn't even care that it was being released in the form of uncontrollable tears now in front of Harm.

"I'm sorry. We begin with I'm sorry."

Harm looked at her, unsure if what he had just heard was correct.

"Starting with Paraguay, Harm. You gave up your career to find me and I've never thanked you for that. I wanted you to say the words, Harm. I don't know why that's so important to me, but it is. It was. When it seemed like you wanted to keep playing mind reading games, I got frustrated. I had just been through hell and there you were. I was glad to see you, but ashamed that I needed saving. Once again, Sarah Mackenzie relies on a man." 

"Mac—" he knew where she was going with this and he didn't want to hear her do this to herself.

"No, wait. Let me finish." She wiped a few more tears away. At least they were slowing. Now she turned to face him, at least she tried. "Paraguay symbolized everything about me and my life. I was not willing to admit that I was in over my head, but I was. When you showed up, I was so thankful. You saved my life. But the fact that I needed saving…I _hate _that, Harm. I hate the fact that I needed to be rescued. It's consumed me for weeks now. That's where I was at mentally when I said that there could never be an us. You were the rescuer, but I hate being rescued. It made no sense at the time. I know that I accuse you of having an ego, of escaping, but we both know that I'm just as guilty."

"I don't know what to say." Was his reply.

"I do." She took a deep breath and looked out over the trees. They were at the proverbial fork in the road. She knew that she owed it to him—to them both to speak up. He had been trying and she had been pushing him away like a brat. If every time that he hurt her, she withdrew and built up her walls, their lives would be miserable. They had to find some common ground, although she wasn't sure how to do that.

"Harm, I think we both know that this is so difficult right now because we're stuck in a place we've never been before. It's always been about friendship in the past, but I think we both know that we're past that now. We haven't gone forward, but we can't go back. It's an akward place to be."

"You're exactly right." He said.

"Your friendship has been my lifeline for so many years. I never wanted to lose that. To lose you." She could feel the weight being slowly lifted the more that she revealed.

"I never wanted to lose you either, Mac. I think it would kill me. That's why I went to Paraguay. Not because I saw you as the victim, but because I felt like I had to. I can't explain it, but the thought of you being in danger—it gave me nightmares. It was like I was possessed, or something."

They were quiet for a moment more before he spoke again. Since they were "coming clean", he decided that he might as well go for it.

"Mac, I should have said the words. You're right about my ego. I was hoping that my actions would speak for themselves, but that was a coward's way out. I don't—I've never felt the way about anyone that I feel about you, and it makes me nervous. I'm scared and I act out, like a child. I've always just assumed, I guess, that you and I would get it right someday, and that we would make good on the five year promise. But you're right about that, too. I shouldn't assume."

Damnit. Just when she thought that the tears had subsided, he had to bring up the baby deal. Her health had been an entirely different issue that he knew nothing about. Besides the back pain, he didn't know what was going on. She looked up at the sky as if asking God to keep the tears from spilling yet again, but there was no hope. She cried and she cried and she cried. Harm took her in his arms, unsure of what it was that was causing this pain. He kissed the top of her head as she sat there, sobbing in his arms. 

"It's o.k., Sarah. Whatever it is, it's o.k. I'm here."


	8. Safe

A/N: Thank you for the positive feedback! As usual, I apologize for any inconsistencies or inaccurate information.

It felt good to be in his arms. She couldn't believe that she felt so safe here, after feeling so distant from this man for so long. The exhaustion of the last few months had finally reached its peak. The emotional strain of this relationship clearly had more of an effect on her than she'd realized. Now, in his arms, it all seemed so trivial. Their miscommunication, their complete lack of communication…weren't they bigger than that? Couldn't they move beyond all of that? A week or even a day ago she would have said absolutely not. But what a difference a day makes.

She calmed herself down but he didn't release her from his arms. It felt too right to have her there. After so long, so much time spent waiting and hoping. He was afraid that if he let her go she'd never come back. He stroked her arm in an effort to continue to soother her, to make her feel safe. That's all he wanted to do for this woman, was to love her and protect her from her worst fears. He just hated it that he had been one of them.

Finally, Mac spoke. "It's all such a mess, Harm. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." 

He continued rubbing her arm and her hair. "It's o.k., Mac. Whenever you're ready." 

"I'm afraid…I'm afraid that if I start I'll break down again. I've cried enough for one lifetime." She smiled half-heartedly. "It's just…it's big this time." 

"I'm here, Mac. Whatever it is that you have to say, I'm listening, and I'm not going anywhere." 

She looked up at him and knew that he was sincere, which triggered the tears once more. She managed to laugh through them this time in a pathetic sort of way. "I swear I've never cried this much in my life."

It was killing him to see her so upset. He took his bravery one step further and lifted her chin. He wiped away the tears just as they fell. "It's o.k. Let it all out."

She leaned forward now, placing her head in her hands. The rollercoaster of emotion that she was riding had to stop. She had been pushing Harm away because she thought that he didn't fight hard enough for her. Was that what she wanted? To be alone, without her best friend, and miserable? He placed his hand on the center of her back and began rubbing, as if willing her to speak.

"You know, men just seem to pass through my life. Except for you. Will you always be there?" she asked.

"Absolutely."

"Then there's something you need to know. The five year deal, Harm. I may not be able to keep my word." She tried again to laugh but they both knew that there was nothing funny.

"Go on." He calmly said.

"My back pain? It wasn't about my back. I have endometriosis, Harm. I may not be able to—" This would be the first time that she had said it out loud to anyone. The lump in her throat was growing larger by the minute. "I may not be able to conceive." As if on cue, the tears flowed freely again. She held her head in her hands and her shoulders shook, until Harm took them in his hands and pulled her in to a hug.

"Oh God, Mac. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He held her tight this time, completely wrapping himself around her small frame.

His mind was swirling with emotion. Here she had been in physical pain and he had just lashed out at her only days before. It made him sick to think that he had kicked her while she was down. They had gotten too good at this dance; him hurting her and her retreating, her hurting him and him lashing out. His resolve was beginning to change. He was feeling determined now, with her in his arms. The air between them was beginning to clear and he was sick and tired of wasting time.

"Mac," he pushed her back so that he could see her. "You have to know that I am so sorry for what you've been through the last few months. I hate it that I've added to and caused you so much pain." She opened her mouth to object, but he wouldn't allow it. "I don't know much about endometriosis, but I do know that it doesn't change a damn thing as far as I'm concerned." He was serious. She could see a look in his eyes that she wasn't sure she'd seen before.

He continued. "Whatever it is between us now, you're right, it's more than friendship, and I don't want to go back, Sarah. This may not be the time, but you need to know where I stand."

She smiled. "Thank you, Harm." She took his hand in her own.

They leaned back on the bench and looked out over the meadow. They had been here for over an hour.

"So, do you think we've missed part two of today's session? I'd hate for Dave and Terry to show us up." They laughed. It was good to lighten the mood.

"Maybe, but I don't really care. Would you be offended if we sat the afternoon out?" She asked.

"Mac, I wouldn't care if we never saw Jan, Terry or Dave again. How about some lunch?" He smiled.

"Sounds great." She stood and stretched and noticed that Harm wasn't moving. He was looking down at his hands. 

"Harm, what is it?"

"Us, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've missed this. More than you know."

She pulled him to his feet and pulled his large frame to her, wrapping her arms lovingly around his waist. He rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes. Things were going to be o.k.


	9. A New Beginning

A/N: Just so someone doesn't ask later, there is no Mattie.

Lunch and dinner were spent together, but not hashing things out. They kept their conversation light, but neither felt akward. It had taken very little time for them to get back in to the old groove. 

Harm had found Jan and explained to her that the two were going through a very emotional time, and would try to join back in tomorrow. He could tell that Mac was looking weary. The procedure that she had performed left her feeling tender and sore even now.

"Why don't we hang out in your room and watch a movie, does that sound o.k.?" He asked.

Mac was feeling comfortable with Harm again, and while she knew that they likely needed to talk some more, there had been enough for one day. She changed in to her USMC short set and pulled her hair up in to a pony tail. Harm was trying to restrain the thoughts that were now invading his mind. He had always been attracted to her, but there was something about her like this; relaxed and comfortable. Her attire seemed to reflect her mood. It was good to see her like this after the last few weeks.

"So, what's it going to be, The Interpreter or The Wedding Date?" he asked as he flipped through the menu on the TV. She plopped down close beside him, which suited him just fine. He put his arm around her like a teenager at the movies. He was getting better at reading her, and knew that she likely wouldn't object. She curled her legs up under her and drew a blanket over them both. This small gesture signified a world of change to Harm. Here they were, close, on the couch, and she had just reached out to him and included him in her space. He looked down at the blanket and then at her. 

"What? What is it?" She began to pull away. "If you're not cold I can—"

He stopped her from moving and drew her in closer, looking in to her eyes. "No, Mac, it's fine. In fact, it's perfect." 

She smiled and he thought that his heart was going to melt. No woman had ever taken him to so many places emotionally before. He could only imagine what she could do to him physically. He scolded himself for ruining the innocence of the moment, unaware that Mac was having her own trouble fighting the attraction that she had to this man.

She willed herself back to the present, to the question that she needed to answer. "Well, I don't really care, as long as it's not sad. I swear if I shed one more tear…" 

Harm looked at her again. The mere mention of her crying brought him back to the pain that she had shared with him earlier. While he was thankful for their steps toward healing, he still felt a heaviness for her. Every instinct within him told him to fight off her pain, her disappointment and her fears. For the last few months, he hadn't been there to do that. 

Mac noticed that Harm was lost in thought. "Harm, what is it now?"

He looked away and realized that his own eyes were beginning to mist. Normally a strong and in control man, his own emotions had taken a toll. Losing his job, watching her kiss Webb, hearing the word "never", coming back to JAG and not being close to her… and now her medical condition…He was overcome with emotion for a moment.

Mac knew that he had had his own share of pain. The last few months hadn't been easy on him, and she was disgusted at her part in all of it. If it weren't for Paraguay, he never would have lost his job.

She placed her hand on his leg and began rubbing it as he had done for her earlier. "Harm, it's o.k. You've had your own share of grief lately. Is there anything I can do?" Her voice was calm and reassuring.

He wiped one stray tear and hoped that she didn't notice before turning to look at her, staring up at him for an answer.

"You're doing it." Was his only reply. Their eyes met and in that moment, they knew that it was time; time to move forward and to leave the ugliness of the past behind. He leaned in to her and she leaned up to him. Her eyes closed as his lips landed gently and sweetly on to hers. He placed one hand behind her neck, hanging on for dear life. Her hands moved up to cup his face as she let out a soft moan of acceptance. The kiss deepened and her hands moved to the back of his neck and began playing with his hair.

Suddenly, he broke the kiss. Mac looked at him, confused.

"So, about earlier…there is no….Webb?" he needed to know.

She smiled. "No Harm. No Webb." She leaned in to kiss him again, but again he pulled back. 

"Was there ever? I mean, I guess you don't have to answer—" Her lips came crashing on to his as she smiled through the kiss and said through pressed mouths, "Never."

His body relaxed and he gave in to the kiss completely and fully. He felt like putty and she had never felt her body tingle as it was doing now. Once the kissing had stopped, they rested their foreheads together and he gently ran his finger down the length of her arm.

"Mac..." 

"Yes?"

There was a pause as Harm was clearly trying to get the nerve to say something.

"I can't live without you." Was all that he could say…for now. 

This time, she was thankful for the words and didn't look for more. She stroked the back of his neck with her fingertips and smiled.

"You don't have to, Harm. Never again." 

It had been said. Not in exact words, but the sentiment was there and they both knew where the other was coming from. This was a fresh start and both were relieved. Mac fell asleep in his arms as the menu on the TV awaited their movie selection. Harm stretched out on the couch, leaned his head back and closed his eyes, never more thankful to be uncomfortable on a couch.


	10. Moving Forward

They had kept things simple since Saturday night, although there was an increasing amount of cuddling and the kisses seemed to be stolen more frequently. They both knew that there were probably a few more things that they should discuss, but neither wanted to risk going back to a dark place just yet. Sunday's seminar was on trust, which was relatively painless. They even taught their peers a thing or two, and thankfully, Jan was not their facilitator. Monday's session was on teamwork, and again, they humored themselves and participated in the activities that seemed below them. Teamwork and trust had never been issues for them in the past, and even when they were mad as hell at each other, they would almost always step in when necessary to help the other one out.

Tuesday's discussion was on organization and time management. Mac enjoyed elbowing Harm often throughout the presentation as they both knew that these were two of his weak areas. He was often late, but always managed to get things done, just rarely too soon. The session ended in the early afternoon and they were reminded that Wednesday was a free day. Heading out of the double doors together, they both sighed in relief. 

"We're free, Mac. No more lectures or exercises." He smiled.

"Well, not until Thursday, anyway, when we discuss empowerment." She joked. 

"I'm thinking that you and Jan should give us all a little demonstration, Mac. I think you could teach that lady a few things." He smiled again.

"Wouldn't I love to…"

"So, what do you want to do? Hang around here? Go somewhere?"

They stopped walking. "I don't know, I mean, there's not much to do around here and I could actually use a break from these…people."

"Great. You read my mind. What do you say we jump in the car and go?" He offered.

She smiled. "After you."

They each packed a bag unsure if they would

be back in an hour or a day. Always the prepared officers, they thought alike in this way. As they drove down the freeway, Mac took out a map from the glove compartment. "So, Sailor, where are we going?" She asked. She hadn't felt this free in a long time. No commitments, no responsibilities, no deadlines.

"Well, let's see. From what I've read about this beautiful state, I can see that it will be difficult to divide our time. I figured that you would want to hit the Marble Exhibit although the Museum of Maple Syrup looks fascinating as well."

She smacked him on the arm. "Funny, very funny." She looked back at the map. "Well, we could head north to Canada. The Winooski River is not far, or we could head west to Lake Champlain."

"Lake Champlain? You mean there's water near here? Show me the way, Marine." He smiled as they drove in companionable silence.

After stopping for a bite to eat, they drove until they saw a hiking trail. "Oh, let's pull off here. It looks beautiful." Mac said. 

Harm hated to break their mood, but he had to ask. "A hike? Mac, are you up for it?" There was a time when she would have been angered at the suggestion, but she knew that he was asking out of concern. "Yes, Harm. I'll be fine." She responded. "Besides, the sign says that it's only a mile and a half hike."

"O.k., Marine. I'll take your word for it." 

Harm had no idea how much she appreciated his calm approach to her. She had been vulnerable and he was not pushing her. It made him even more attractive in her eyes.

They hiked a little ways until they came to a wooded look-out area above the lake. "Let's stop here, is that o.k.?" She asked. 

"Fine by me. It's beautiful here." Harm said.

They found a small rocky ledge that was a perfect seat for two. He helped her down the slope to get her seat before sitting down beside her. It was a perfect clear day and the lake was the perfect setting. Both were amazed that only days before they couldn't stand to be in the same room together. Now, it was completely different. Both were aware of the pain, but knew that it was in the past and that in a strange way, had been a catalyst for the place that they seemed to be now.

Surprisingly, Mac seemed ready to talk. "Harm, I hope you know how much it means to me that you're being patient." 

"Patient?"

"Yes, patient. You're not pushing me in to any discussions or forcing me to open up if I don't want to. The funny thing is, it makes me want to open up more." She smiled, almost in a shy way.

"Is that so?" Harm teased. "If I had only figured this out years ago."

She smiled. "The baby thing, Harm. It's a huge loss for me. I mean, all my life I thought I would be a mom, someday."

"You still can."

"We don't know that." 

"There's always hope, Mac."

"But what if… I mean, I'm not assuming anything here, but what if you and I still…if we want to…and what if I can't…"

"Mac, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. About the baby, I mean. Nothing has changed in my mind, I told you that. I can think of no other person in the world that I would like to have a baby with. But if we can't conceive, naturally, then there are plenty of other options." 

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Not at all. Mac, you and I have spent so much time apart from each other. I mean, we see each other all the time working together, but that's not what I mean. I think we've proven that we're better together than apart, and that's a _good_ thing if you ask me." 

"And the baby?"

"Having a child with you is secondary, in my eyes, Mac. It would only be the icing on the cake." She looked up at him. She was visibly touched by this comment.

"I mean it, Mac." He reached out to stroke her face. "Having a chance with you is more of a blessing than I could ask for. If a child came out of that, then even better. But I'm so tired of being miserable. I think it's time that we both quit wasting time and started being happy." He wondered if she was on the same page.

"You're right, Harm. You're exactly right."

"So, are you? Happy, I mean." 

"Yes, I think I'm getting there. I mean, I won't say that the last week especially hasn't been rough." He looked away and then down. "But I think I can see that it's going to make us stronger in the end. I've never accepted defeat in any other area in my life, so I don't know why I was willing to where you're concerned."

He smiled. "Do you really mean that?" 

"Yes, I do."

"I should have fought for you." She knew what he meant, but said nothing. "In Paraguay, I shouldn't have let you get in that cab, Mac, without telling you right then and there that—that I love you."

If it weren't for the ground beneath her, she would have slipped away. She wanted to cry. For years she had waited for the words. And now that she heard them, it seemed surreal.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He took her in his arms and placed a hot, passionate kiss directly on her lips. This kiss was different than the others. It's significance was expressed in the way that they kissed. It was a long, searing, affirmation of two people ready to move forward. Beyond the past and beyond the pain. The second-guessing, assumptions and hurt were gone. It was a new day, and they had come through it all better than before, because they were together. A team, even.

Once the kiss was broken, Mac caught her breath and wiped the wetness from his lip. "Do you have any idea how badly I wanted you to do that in Paraguay?" She smiled. 

"It can't possibly be as badly as I wanted to do it in Paraguay. Sharing that bed with you…God, Mac. I don't think I slept a wink." He was still breathless from the kiss.

"Well, for future reference, the next time I start to walk away, you can just kiss me like that and I guarantee that I'll forget where I was going." 

He sobered for a moment. "I don't want you to walk away, Mac. Ever."

"Harm, I didn't mean—"

"I know. But from now on, it's you and me. Together. If you walk, it will be with me by your side."

"I like the sound of that." She leaned in for another kiss of affirmation.

"And Harm?"

"Mmm-hmm?"

"It's not like I'm the easiest person to fight for. I mean, you have to know that by the time we were leaving, I was in a weird place. It felt like Sydney all over again." She had to say it.

"I know."

"If I could go back and do things over again…"

"Where would you start?" 

"With us, you mean?"

"Yeah, I know where I'd start."

She raised her eyebrow, "Oh really? Where would that be, Sailor."

"It would have been on the Admiral's porch. No, I take that back. It would have been in Sydney. I never would have let you off of that ferry without telling you right then and there how I felt." 

"I would have liked that." She observed. "But then we wouldn't be who we are today."

"This is true."

"We'd probably still be the same, immature…"

He interrupted her. "_Immature_? Just who are you calling immature?"

She smiled. "Harm you've got to admit, we both had a lot of growing up to do." 

"Do you think we've come very far since then?"

"Leaps and bounds. But I believe that people can always improve." 

"And how can I improve, if you don't mind my asking?" 

"Well, for starters, you can kiss me again." 

"Done." He barely completed the word before their lips were joined again.

"Do you want to keep hiking?" He asked one the kiss was broken.

"No, actually, I don't." She said, standing to her feet.

He looked at her, confused, as she drew him to his feet.

"I want to find a hotel room, Harm, and I want to show you just how much I love you."

Harm's eyes grew wide as she leaned up to kiss him. She snuck her hands underneath his shirt and began exploring the skin underneath. He pulled her tightly to him and let out a moan that could have called his masculinity in to question were it any other situation. His hands pulled her closer still until they were becoming obscene. Thankfully, they were secluded enough that no one saw.

She wanted him, and she let him know. Harm thought that he was going to die right then and there. Leave it to his Marine to catch him off guard with a blunt request to be intimate. He smiled at the thought of it. 

"Mac.." he said through pressed lips.

"Mm-hmm?" She replied, through pressed lips.

"If we don't leave now…"

The kiss continued for another minute and she had managed to pull his shirt out of his jeans.

He placed both hands on her face and pulled her away. Looking square in to her eyes, he asked, "Are you sure?" Still breathing heavily.

"We've waited long enough, Harm. Let's go."

With that she turned and climbed back up to the path and began walking toward the car. This woman was amazing. He stood in disbelief for a moment, trying to process her comments. He looked up at the sky and smiled. Finally, they were going to be together.

"Hey Sailor, are you coming?" she called from down the path. 

He took off running and cut her off. "Can I give you a ride?" he asked playfully.

"If you think you can handle it." She smiled, jumping on his back so that he was giving her a piggy-back ride.

"That remains to be seen, Marine."

She leaned down and breathed began sucking seductively on his earlobe. He walking became staggered as he weaved back and forth on the path. 

"Mac, are you trying to kill me?"

"Do you want me to stop?" She whispered warmly in to his ear. 

"Nnnoo."

"Good, because I don't think I can." She continued her assault on his neck and ear, knowing that he was completely helpless carrying her down the path.

Once they reached the car he turned and set her down on the trunk. She cupped his face and pulled him in to another passionate, searing kiss. He pulled her toward him so that they were flush with one another. Again her hands began to explore the muscles that had been a mystery for too long. She was growing impatient and he was about to explode.

"Harm?" She finally gained her composure. "I really don't want our first time to be in public on the trunk of a rental car." She smiled.

"Me neither." He stood back and took a deep breath. "But I'm warning you, if there' not a hotel or a cabin within a half mile radius, I will have to take you in the back seat." He gave her a look that implied he was not all together joking.

She let out a small laugh. "I think you're in luck. We passed the cabin rental office before we pulled in to hike." He opened the car door for her and helped her inside.

"God help the poor soul who tells me there's no vacancy." He mocked.

Half a mile down the road, they saw the sign that made their day: Vacancy. Harm all but ran inside and came out holding a key. He smiled as he got back in the car. Turning to her and becoming serious, he took her hands in his. "Mac, I don't want you to think that this isn't a big deal to me. I mean, I've waited for this for years now. I don't want to rush you." 

"Harm, that's so sweet of you, but you're forgetting whose suggestion this was." She reassured, stroking his hair. 

As they leaned in to meet one another in a soft, more calming kiss, they were surprised when, after it was broken, they spoke at the same time, the same words. 

Looking deep in to each other's eyes, they spoke simultaneously:

"Marry me."


	11. A Happy Ending

A/N: O.k., don't hate me, but I'm a traditionalist. I was getting in over my head with the passion. (Blush.) Not to mention the conference! A week was too long to have them there and too many fillers would have been needed. SO…if you don't like the ending, I apologize, but that's where I'm coming from. Hope it isn't too rushed. I didn't want to turn it in to a thirty chapter ordeal, because I can't sleep without updating daily!

ONE YEAR LATER 

They sat on the couch flipping through the photo album. "Remember that? That was the day that you sprained your ankle on the basketball court." She reminisced. 

"How could I forget? You had to drive me around for a month!"

"I still think you were using it as an excuse." She smiled, and he shrugged. 

She turned the page and saw her favorite photo. She rubbed her hand gently over it. "Ah, the big day. Can you believe it was almost a year ago?"

"No, it's all gone so fast." 

"Yeah, I know what you mean. After you asked me to marry you, it all sort of snow-balled." She knew that this would get him going.

"Oh, this again? If I remember correctly, it was _you_ who asked _me_." He nudged her.

"Your memory has always been a little off, just like your aim. The only reason that I said it was because I knew you were going to. I wanted to take the pressure off of you." She smiled, lying through her teeth." 

He leaned down to kiss her. "So, what are we going to tell this one if he asks?" He began rubbing her now round belly. 

"If _she_ happens to ask, we'll tell her that her daddy and mommy couldn't wait another day and that they both wanted the same thing."

He leaned back and stretched his legs out in front of him, still rubbing her stomach with one hand.

"I'm glad we're here, Mac. Together." 

She smiled. "It's been the best year of my life." 

"And it's only going to bet better." She said, placing her hand on his.

"Remind me to thank the General someday."

"Right after you thank Jan the facilitaor." They both laughed.

"I love you, Harm." 

"I love you too."

THE END


End file.
